Do we need this page?

People belong to different academic, vocational, and recreational communities, some even as seemingly particular or incredible as hip-hop and jazz groups, or outing and motorcycle clubs. So please keep this thought in mind: while marae encounters can be hosted specifically to help resolve human conflicts, they do not need to be held only when people are having hard times or major conflicts. They can also be devoted to looking on the good side of life, too. To learning, for example, about and exploring with them--what other people are thinking, doing, and aspiring to accomplish. In any case, whatever the reason, what really lies at the heart of every successful marae encounter is everybody’s honest and open willingness to meet and share with others our human hopes, experiences, concerns, and ambitions.

Participating in encounters is a rich and rewarding process. The steps involved in these encounters are fluid; rather than follow a concrete set of regulations, the communities involved are encouraged to proceed in a way they best see fit.

Why participate?

Marae encounters are a proven way of allowing others to understand:

Your beliefs

What you hope to accomplish in life

The ways in which you and your community work are trying to answer the age-old questions "who am I?"

Marae Encounterscan turn strangers into friends, and change the dynamics of “us against them” into “them and us."